Scouting Report: Rashan Gary

Paramus (NJ) Catholic defensive tackle Rashan Gary
(image via NorthJersey.com)

Name: Rashan Gary
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 290 lbs.
High school: Paramus (NJ) Catholic
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: 2016

Notes: Holds offers from Alabama, Army, Auburn, Boston College, Cincinnati, Clemson, Connecticut, Florida, Florida State, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, South Carolina, Syracuse, Temple, Tennessee, USC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin . . . Claims 4.86 forty . . . As a junior in 2014 made 55 tackles and 14 sacks . . . ESPN 5-star, 94 grade, #1 defensive tackle, #1 overall . . .  Rivals 5-star, #1 defensive tackle, #4 overall . . . Scout 5-star, #1 defensive tackle, #1 overall . . . 247 Sports 5-star, #1 defensive tackle, #3 overall

Strengths: Good build . . . Not much bad weight . . . Flexible lower body . . . Quick enough to play defensive end for his high school team . . . Very good motor . . . Makes plays all over the field . . . Violent tackler . . . Good lateral quickness . . . Strong enough to lock out offensive linemen . . . Can manhandle blockers . . . Stops runners in their tracks, eliminating second-effort yardage

Weaknesses: Stands up too high at times . . . Needs to work on compacting swim move . . . Must improve hand placement . . . Can get caught with hands down or too far outside

Projection: Defensive tackle. Gary is an exceptional athlete for his position and size. He plays against pretty good competition in high school and still looks dominant. One catch in his situation is that he played defensive end last year, whereas he'll be a tackle in college. He does a good enough job of coming low out of his stance that pad level should not be a major issue; it's only when he tries to use his speed rush around the outside that he loses good body lean. He will also have to learn how to use his hands a little better, but that is something that can get correct pretty quickly. Gary looks like a 3-tech tackle who will be very hard to handle for offensive guards.

Reminds me of: Warren Sapp. I don't see a great comparison through Michigan's history - Alan Branch and Gabe Watson were a little too nose tackle-y, and Mike Martin was mostly about quickness, although he was awfully powerful, too. Sapp was both powerful and quick, which also describes Gary.

Likelihood of committing to Michigan: 247 Sports' Crystal Ball predictions have Alabama at 52%, Michigan at 31%, and nobody else in double digits. The Wolverines have a couple former Paladins already in the form of redshirt freshmen Jabrill Peppers and Juwann Bushell-Beatty, and they also have the former coach, Chris Partridge, in the role of recruiting coordinator. Gary took a visit to Michigan this spring and thoroughly enjoyed it, but his recruiting process could last until February, and a lot of things can happen between now and then. Michigan is right in the thick of the hunt.

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